When Things Start to Look Up

A couple of months ago, my fiancé felt led to make a few sandwiches, give them out to the homeless downtown and pray for them.  He asked if I wanted to join him, and I did.

Everyone was very gracious, accepted what we offered them and allowed us to pray with them.  One man in particular was very responsive.  We'll call him Tony.  He sits out on a bench not too far from the Starbucks downtown.  He talked about a friend of his who comes by to chat with him, and I said, "I know it means a lot to you to have someone to talk to."  And he replied, "It doesn't mean a lot, it means everything."  He talked about how people walk by, ignoring him everyday, not even acknowledging him.  He told us about a student who belittled him yelling at him to "get a job."  He said, "I told him, 'Give me one.' If someone offered me a job, I'd take it."  He said how much it means, not for someone to give him money, but just to acknowledge him as a person.  As a human being.  We prayed with him and he cried, saying he was so grateful for our prayers.  From that day on, anytime I've passed a homeless person, I've said hello or smiled and nodded, even if I didn't have anything to give, just to acknowledge them.

We saw Tony again today, and guess what?  He told us someone offered him a job.  It's a part time job doing custodial work, but it's something.  He said soon he's going to open a bank account.  And then his next goal will be to look for housing.  What amazing news to hear!

I love it when things start to look up for people who really need things to start looking up for them.  It makes me feel like they're looking up for me, too.